The Twist
by Dark Queen 76
Summary: This is a post Labyrinth fic of Sarah & Jareth, though the first few chapters may only involve Jareth'sSarah's POV. What if, by an odd twist of circumstance, they were magically transposed into each other's lives in order to experience 1: Love 2: their H
1. Chapter 1

"Starship, hmm?" It looked like the tape player the Goblin King had swiped contained one of the Humans' recording devices for music – a 'tape,' he thought. Or more properly, a 'tape cassette.' Probably some kind of loud, raucous babble, the kind that seemed to be in style right now. What a waste of time.

Well, it served him right for not being pickier about who he liberated items from in the park - probably some kind of cosmic justice for his fascination with mortals. It was that fascination, that burning curiosity, that first prompted him to hang around the park where he first laid eyes on Sarah.

"Ah, Sarah… " He sighed for what seemed the millionth time as he slipped into a mini-daydream about how he would've liked their time in the Labyrinth to have passed. He was sure she thought his advice about life not being fair a simple goad meant only to provoke her.

The truth was that those statements were more a reminder for him about the difference between reality and fantasy, no matter what his personal feelings on the matter. A blaring car horn snapped him out of his reverie, back to his lonely present, and to the plastic and metal device in his hands.

He'd actually been trying to acquire one of these devices since seeing Sarah dance in her room, apparently listening to music on the device. Through the mirror, he thought she'd had some kind of small headband-like device that brought the music to her ears only – he thought it might be called 'earphones.'

This device didn't seem to have such an accoutrement, ridiculous as the name was – after all, it looked like no 'phone' he'd ever seen, and he liked to think he was pretty conversant with mortals and their toys after more than a millennia watching them.

No matter that the other Fae of his realm thought his hobby an oddity at best (or a sick obsession at worst) - it had brought Sarah into his life, and if he could just remain close to her, then just maybe he could win her back. Plus, it had seemed to bring her such joy; perhaps it would work for him.

But what of the device? Well, it seemed he would have to find a more private spot to enjoy the tape player. He could only imagine the looks he'd get, dancing to the music as Sarah had. That meant taking it back to the Labyrinth and his castle. But from past experience he knew electronics and the magics that ruled his Kingdom didn't play nicely; plus there was nowhere to 'plug it in'!

On closer examination he saw a compartment, and behind it, what he assumed were the 'batteries' he'd seen displayed in storefronts in Sarah's hometown. Problem solved! Other self-sustaining devices he'd brought home before seemed to fare well, until whatever voodoo, magic, electricity or whatever sustaining force left their batteries.

Well, it was worth a shot, he mused; and summoning a crystal ball, disappeared in a shower of glitter.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Labyrinth, or any characters presented here – I imagine the movie studio holds those rights. I also don't own the song "Sarah," by Starship, a.ka. Jefferson Airplane- I imagine their record label or whoever holds their contract does. "Sarah" is not presented in its entirety for story purposes.

_Back in his castle…._

The Goblin King draped himself across his throne, indolently throwing one leg over the arm and letting the other dangle. Placing the tape player by his side, he studied the device, trying to figure out how to start the music. The usual magic commands wouldn't work, he was sure; and a spell could blow the whole thing up. But there was writing on one end of the device – "Stop/Pause; Play; Rew; Ffd; Rcd." He leaned closer to get a better look, running his fingers over the words, when suddenly…

_Go now,  
Don't look back - we've drawn the line,  
Move on,  
Its no good to go back in time,  
I'll never find another girl like you,  
For happy endings it takes two,  
With fire and ice,  
A dream won't come true_

Well that part was true, he mused. The past was done; the future now. He was quite sure that while he could find any number of women willing to cohabit with him, and more; his Sarah was truly one of a kind, a diamond in the rough, the brightest star in his sky, the most brilliant jewel in his dark, lonely life. He was quite sure that no substitute would do – if he couldn't have her, he didn't want anyone, period.

But what of a happy ending, he thought. Surely that's what she wanted, too, wasn't it? She was the dramatic sort; one of her best qualities, and what kept him interested when so many others he'd become infatuated with had lost their shine. What would he have to do to prove that he truly loved her, truly cared? So much of their relations in the Labyrinth had been adversarial at best, and on purpose – he had a role to play and the rules governing such things were literally written in every stone block of the Labyrinth. But it didn't mean he didn't care.

Fire and Ice – another problem, and one not so easily solved by planning. Who was the fire and who was the ice in this scenario? He knew himself to blow both hot and cold, sometimes going through many mood swings in a single day. But you had to, didn't you, with a realm that changed so swiftly? The Labyrinth was an ever-changing entity with a mind of its own – those who didn't adapt to its mood swings (and corresponding physical changes) died swiftly.

He supposed that, whether his personality was co-dependent on the Labyrinth was irrelevant – he knew himself to be a passionate person, and that sometimes it proved so 'hot' that it froze others in their tracks. Alternately, his oft-affected coldness and indifference could, and did 'scald' his subordinates into obeying when they were otherwise inclined. Heat that freezes; cold that burns – in an instant he understood Sarah and himself were two of a kind._  
_

But why shouldn't their dreams come true, even if their personalities sometimes clashed? Why couldn't they meet halfway in their strengths, rather than war against each other over supposed weaknesses? Shouldn't passionate people be able to have passionate, mutually satisfying relationships? By the Fires of the Labyrinth, why shouldn't Sarah be his Queen, and be happy doing so? "Dammit!" Jareth fumed, "I love her and I want my Happily-Ever-After, too!"

_Danger,  
In a game when the stakes are high,  
Branded,  
My heart was branded while my senses stood by,  
I'll never find another girl like you,  
For happy endings it takes two,  
With fire and ice,  
A dream won't come true_

Danger – well, that was a word he would normally use to describe himself and the Labyrinth both. The Labyrinth held both one's dreams AND nightmares – being trapped in either was not what he'd call safe. And himself, well – as inextricably intertwined as himself and the Labyrinth were, being close to him meant being close to the Labyrinth, like it or not.

Why high stakes would be problem in such a relationship as the one the song posited was a mystery to Jareth – if stakes weren't high, than what was the sense of playing a game, if indeed that's what a relationship was. And they had to be high, didn't they? After all, if one's dreams are the penultimate goal, then the risk to attain such lofty goals must be quite high; otherwise they wouldn't be so important.

He was quite sure that Sarah was the one for him, just as he was the only one that could ever truly understand and love her. She wanted her dreams, but on her own terms – she obviously wasn't the kind of girl that would let herself get caught up in someone else's crazy dreams – she'd proved that. The girl's ordeal in the Labyrinth had engraved her name on his heart like no other – it drove him crazy not be able to cater to her every whim, to have to play the cold, distant, monomaniacal Goblin King to her Princess role. He admired her for standing up the to the archetype, for not giving in her own selfish desires. He supposed the experience would not leave her unmarked, if only internally. And now he couldn't get her, or her experience out of his head – it was as if the tape recorder played back their encounter on a continuous loop – was that not being branded, also?

_Love me like no one has ever loved me before, (Ooh, Sarah)  
Hurt me… no one could ever hurt me more, (Ooh, Sarah)  
Sarah,  
Nobody loved me more,_

Ah, love…. He'd scanned the books in Sarah's room through her mirror and was initially curious as to the titles. That is, until he'd peeked at a dropped book in the park that bore the same title. Disgusting, mushy stuff, with the most explicit intimate scenes that once would have got one hanged, at the minimum, for even reading in public. The plots themselves seemed no more than filler between the 'romance' scenes.

No, real love, true love, was more visceral, more messy; terribly complicated in the most beautiful ways. He'd seen plenty of people in love over the ages, and no one was more deliciously tormented than people in love; and more vulnerable. It's what made love so dangerous. It seemed to him that the process of falling in love must necessarily hurt, since it involved caring more about someone else than yourself – there must be some division of self-interest from ego, not a natural thing, to be sure, but necessary for the survival of mortals.

Did he love Sarah that way? Would he give up everything for her – his position as Goblin King, his Labyrinth, his magic? Yes, he decided, he did. It was just that simple. He'd told her that he'd turned the world upside down and reordered time, just for her – and that was true. He'dve turned the Moon blue for her had she asked. What he hadn't told her was that her friend Hoggle's auspicious saves were not mere coincidence; or that the poisoned peach had been diluted to produce only a mild sleeping spell, so that she actually woke up instead of dying as the laws of the Labyrinth demanded at the time.

What he hadn't told her was that he really HAD risked everything, just so she could play out her adventure-fantasy and go back to a normal life, instead of being just another Labyrinth servant. If that much self-sacrifice wasn't indication enough of his feelings, then he wasn't sure he wanted feelings at all.

Her utter rejection of him was completely devastating – not only was she NOT going to stick around for him to explain everything, but now he had no chance at seeing her at all, since the Labyrinth seemed to have 'turned off' the mirror access to her room in the mortal realm. But even then, she didn't say the words that would have turned the tables completely and banished him forever, into literal nothingness – she'd said "as great" not 'greater' when comparing her Kingdom to his.

Her will "as strong" as his; not 'stronger." She could have been far crueler, had she wanted to. He'd heard some mortal philosopher say that 'In the absence of hate, there is love.' If she didn't completely hate him enough to destroy him, did that mean she loved him, too? Were her actions in the Escher Room her way of showing it?

It had to be – his Sarah was too smart, too caring, not to know the impact of her words. She would have known how a good fairy story ends, how to defeat the Evil Queen or Sorcerer; how to defeat the 'bad guy.' If she didn't hate him, then she must love him, even if only in a small way. Well, even a small flame can be fanned into a bonfire, he thought – I'll take whatever love she has to offer, even if it hurts me.

_Sarah, Sarah,  
No time is a good time,  
Oh Sarah, Sarah,  
Storms are brewing in your eyes,  
Sarah, Sarah,  
No time is a good time for goodbye_

" No time is a good time for goodbye" – well if that wasn't preaching to the choir, he didn't know what was. And under such circumstances as theirs, too, when they'd never see each other again. He loved her eyes, gray with swirls of blue, flecks of green; sometimes hazel in the right light. But they could be so unimaginably cruel, too, just like a storm.

From a calm day to Category 4 in 60 seconds flat; and with just as little provocation. He'd seen enough of mortal weather to see firsthand why storms were named after women – both were just as temperamental and unpredictable, but generally if you paid attention, you could ride out any weather. Jareth prided himself on being just such a detail-oriented man, just right for a girl with storm-tossed eyes and a soul to match.

_Sarah, Sarah,  
Storms...are brewing in you eyes,  
Sarah, Sarah,  
No time is a good time_

_Ooh Sarah, why did it, why did it, why did it all fall_

_apart?_

Why indeed? He'd had it planned out so beautifully, too. He had planned to give her a while to adjust to a new life with Toby and her family, since it seemed her adventures had given her a new outlook on life. He'd seen the advent of coming maturity in her eyes when she first spoke to him of needing her brother back, even before tackling the Labyrinth; and seen the same when she faced him down in the Escher Room. Then he had planned to gradually come to her through the mirror – just conversations, if she'd prefer; then visits, hopefully progressing to dating; and eventually, meeting the parents; and marriage and a move to the Underground and his castle.

He knew enough of human courtship rituals to infer that most young women preferred to be approached in this manner; plus it would give her the necessary time to come of age in the mortal legal tradition. Age didn't matter so much in the Underground as aging was greatly slowed, but he knew it was quite important to mortal parents and in regard to the current legal system in their home country.

But life's circumstances seemed to be against him; and her, too. He'd been forced to play a long-rehearsed role; his efforts to break out of the mold had gone largely unnoticed by the object of his affections. Now his one chance was gone and he wasn't sure what he would do now…. all he had to look forward to was a life filled with regrets of what could have been…

In a daze, he let the tape play on, not noticing the sun sink down into its inexorable arc towards the other side of the planet; the moon rise like a single tear in the sky; the winds howling like lonely wolves; or the single tear running down his cheek.

And the Labyrinth shifted once again…


	3. Chapter 3

It was Sunday, which meant Sarah was on her way to her parents' home for Sunday dinner.

It wasn't a long drive, but her mind was restless these days what with being on unemployment, again; and no new job in sight. She sighed with exasperation, wondering for the millionth time if it might not be wiser to accept one of the endless Secretary or Receptionist positions that continuously paraded themselves through the local newspapers.

"No, it really wouldn't be worth it," she decided for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She knew her strengths and weaknesses, and being stuck in a job that she just wouldn't be able to appreciate or even like wasn't one of them. Temp agencies, another avenue for work, mostly hired for Admin work, and while she was sure she could force herself to do just about any job, sooner or later her intense resentment would spill over and she'd be right back where she started – unemployed; and sans unemployment money.

SOMEthing good had come out of her last disastrous brush with trying to take what she privately termed an 'in-between jobs' sort of job. The utility marking company had kept her on for a bare two months when they fired her on the flimsy excuse that anyone getting into an accident with the company truck, having been employed less than a year, was automatically terminated. It didn't seem to matter that the officer on the scene hadn't seen fit to give her a ticket due to the ice and snow on the road – the company had still made a big deal over deciding she was at-fault somehow, even though they claimed that wasn't part of their decision to let her go. She doubted they had even talked to the officer on the scene, though she'd filled out all the required paperwork detailing his info, plus a sketch of what happened.

They'd fired her, on the spot; but she'd been able to get State Unemployment money out of it – not much, but enough to pay her bills and rent, plus some for food and gas. It was a far better turnout, she thought, than the job before that, for a private contracting company, where they'd made her work life so impossible and threatening that she'd quit after being forced to endure what was termed an 'employment review.' "Employment review, my foot!" she exclaimed aloud, speeding ahead of a vehicle in front of her that was sandbagging – on purpose, too!

It had been more like an execution that day, with trumped-up charges of her imagined faults, with both her so-called managers. It was either meet with both managers every day for three weeks to make sure she adequately performed her 'performance objectives' or she'd be fired at month's end. They'd even managed to con one of the HR flunkies into going along with the whole farce, too!

Well, she hadn't given them the pleasure of further humiliating her. Actually, she'd been proud of her reserve and composure as, with a face beet red from humiliation and anger, she'd simply said that she thought they were making mountains out of molehills and that she was done there, thank-you-very-much; I quit!

She'd cleaned out her desk that afternoon, sweeping all of her reference papers into a secure recycle bin and wiping her computer of all cookies, internet website history; and clearing out her email Inbox completely. She'd even considered wiping out her C drive with the old DOS command to erase a hard drive, but thought that might prove too provocative an action when, really, she wanted nothing more to do with the barbarous company!

Even then they'd pestered her with mailings, one of which contained some kind of checklist they wanted her to complete and send back to them, just so they could complete the checkmark in their files that yes, they'd given her all the proper forms for continuance of insurance after employment separation and all that blather. As if she could have afforded it then, with no work and nothing to live on! After the first one, she'd sent the rest back, unopened, turning away UPS and Certified, signature-only mailings. By the time the last one arrived, they'd gotten smart enough to not put a return address on the envelope so she'd not be tipped off as to who sent it.

Assholes! Making an irritated noise in the back of her throat, she belated remonstrated herself that there was just no point in getting upset about something so far in the past; or taking it out on herself, her car, or someone else. It was just so ironic that she still had to drive past the damn building almost every day! There was construction on either side of it now – a ramp just before it; and two huge monolithic structures further down the road. She remembered that one of the two was supposed to be a daycare, though there was no sign of such activity now. Well, the construction was nearly finished, but it still wasn't too late for one of the two sites to 'accidentally' drop a crane on the building or something! It could be at night, even, when no one would be likely working there….

She wished she could just banish such memories from her brain forever – it would probably take years for her to push the unpleasant thoughts from her mind at this rate! It just wasn't fair, she fumed; then half-smiled at the remembrance of another time when she'd had occasion to use just that particular turn of phrase. She could almost hear the Goblin King's words now, just as if he was right inside her car " You say that so often – I wonder what your basis to comparison is…" After a while in the Labyrinth, she'd come to realize that unfairness was just another part of life, whether she liked it or not, hence her reply to Hoggle that while life WASN'T fair, that was just the way it was.

If her experience in the Labyrinth had taught her anything, it was to question, question, and question; and not to take anything for granted. So if taking 'in-between' jobs was out of the question, and taking further jobs she wouldn't be able to tolerate were also similarly distasteful, well, then there just might be a reason for that….

She'd harbored thoughts about what she was going to do next with her life – these days she had the feeling that she was at some kind of crossroads and everything could change on a dime depending on what she did next. Well, her high school and college days were long behind her; and she'd had her career as a Technical Writer, and that door seemed to be closing fast, if it wasn't shut, no slammed fast, already. She'd been so proud of herself to be out on her own – she'd traveled extensively, moved her entire household cross-country several times, including her 'Cat Pack' of seven cats; owned her own townhouse and car – all before she was quite 30! Plus a college degree that she'd worked hard for – she'd made quite sure that she wouldn't be one of those infantile young women that still relied on Mommy and Daddy to provide for her, even back then. Yes, she still had plenty to be proud of. Remembering all those old where-will-you-be in 10-20-30 years tests in high school, she never expected anything like this!

But sometimes it was just too much, and in those times, some secret part of her harkened back to the days of her overly-dramatic high school self, where the mundane necessities of life seemed to pale in contrast to the pre-rehearsed dramas inside her head….

Sometimes she still wished someone would come and take her away 'from this horrible place.'- yes, that was her exact phrasing, as she remembered. Sighing for past fancies, she flipped on the radio, hoping to distract herself for a while.

_15 minutes later_

Crap, Crap, Crap, that's all that seemed to be on the radio tonight. Sarah swore that she'd heard the same stupid, vapid, nonsense crapola on the radio a dozen times over, already, broadcast on every station. Exasperated, she hit the 'Scan' button on the radio faceplate, hoping to find an '80's at eight' show or even some Rap, for crissake! At least Rap wasn't completely whiny, like everything else that seemed to be so popular lately.

"I want to sing to something I can relate to!" she fumed, as her ear caught a familiar melody. She jabbed at the Scan button to stop the song from automatically changing to the next station and smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I own no part of the Labyrinth or its characters.

Cold late night so long ago  
When I was not so strong you know  
A pretty man came to me  
Never seen eyes so blue  
I could not run away  
It seemed we'd seen each other in a dream  
It seemed like he knew me  
He looked right through me  
Come on home, girl he said with a smile  
You don't have to love me yet  
Let's get high awhile  
But try to understand  
Try to understand  
Try, try, try to understand  
I'm a magic man.

Wasn't that true, she thought as the verse ended. Yes, that was it exactly – Jareth was her Magic Man, quite literally, she realized, then snorted in mirth as the irony hit her. She doubted the song's writers had intended it for such a literal comparison! Ah, but those eyes – captivating and dangerous at the same time, full of hope and despair, mirth and tears, wrath and the gentleness, when it suited him. So easy to fall into those eyes and lose herself….

Winter nights we sang in tune  
Played inside the months of moon  
Never think of never  
Let this spell last forever  
Summer over passed to fall  
Tried to realize it all  
Mama says she's worried  
Growing up in a hurry

She hadn't stayed in the Labyrinth long, but it had felt like that at the time. Even with the thirteen-hour clock, she'd stayed less than twelve hours, since the Goblin King had cheated and fast-forwarded time. And for a while there she **had** been under his spell, also quite literally, what with the Poisoned Peach.

Ah, and what a spell it had been, she mused. She had been willing, no eager, to let herself be dazzled by all the pretty things Jareth had to show her in the Ballroom, almost to the point of forgetting herself, much less Toby. But it _had _been fun. Sometimes, she thought, if he would show back up in her life and make her such an offer again – albeit with much less power over her - she might just give in!

And why not, she reasoned. She'd done the responsible thing and returned home with Toby, after all. And since then, she knew she'd been the model daughter both her parents wanted. Well, I **was** a little spoiled and selfish, she thought; but the Labyrinth certainly showed me up! "I learned that dreams aren't everything, and that if you don't watch your step, they can certainly lead you astray," she said aloud.   
Come on home, girl he said with a smile  
I cast my spell of love on you a woman from a child!  
But try to understand, try to understand  
I'm a magic man!

Ah, the look on his face when she knew he'd accepted defeat at her hands! After all she'd been through in the Labyrinth, she thought her victory would be sweeter. But she had been unprepared for the raw longing she saw there when she declared he had no power over her, when he realized his spell over her had truly been broken.

She'd come home changed, too – surprisingly it was her stepmother Karen, not her father, who had noticed first. "Who are you and what have you done with my surly and uncooperative stepchild?" Karen had teased after Sarah had been back a few days.

They'd talked then, woman –to-woman, about Karen's hopes and plans for Toby, Karen and Sarah's father; and finally, Sarah herself. Sarah was surprised to learn that Karen had grown children of her own, about Sarah's age, and was simply worried that Sarah's lack of any solid plans would hurt her as she'd approached graduation from high school.

In some ways, Jareth's spell had worked all those years ago – just not in the way he wanted. She'd walked into the Labyrinth a child, and come out a woman, more self-assured and confident, with a greater sense of who she was and what she wanted. She was _his_ woman, though – she was her own.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait on this chapter – I've had my own personal 'Goblin-King-style' real-life drama to attend. Now that it's mostly over ( I hope) I can give this story the attention it deserves and (cross-your-fingers) maybe even finish it!

To all my lovely, fantabulous reviewers, many thanks; especially Yfate! Not to plug her work too much, but her 'Price of Vengeance' is definitely worth a read whether or not you are into the InuYasha anime – her style is simply unparalleled!

**Standard Disclaimer:** The Labyrinth characters and plot line are not mine – I am simply borrowing them temporarily for my own story.

Chapter 5: To Be Rekindled…

As she sat on the edge of her bed and brushed her long, lustrous, black hair the standard 100 times, Sarah closed her eyes and surrendered to the gentle massage of the boar's bristle brush, sighing inwardly with pleasure and release. Such a simple act, yet so relaxing, and the perfect way to calm her mind before slumber. She suspected the soothing feeling might have something to do with the way her first mother, her real mother, had brushed her hair for her as a small child, before she'd left to find her own way.

All of a sudden, she heard a "Pop" much like a soap bubble, and immediately came in contact with glitter on her brush and in her hair. Startled, she whirled around, eyes flashing in displeasure and rage.

With as much scorn and shrewishness as she could put into one word, she hissed, "Jareth!"

" At your service, my Lady," he intoned with a mock-flourish, managing even then to look smug, superior, and drop-dead gorgeous all at once.

'Aha, so that's how it's going to be, ' Sarah thought. Well, two could play at that game. He wouldn't respect her otherwise.

" Hello, Jareth, it's simply been too long," she fluttered, giving him her best pouty look. "To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of your company, might I inquire?"

" Ah Sarah, direct and to the point, just as last time, I see," he replied drily. "Well, if you'd rather skip the social pleasantries, basically I need your help with a matter of some delicacy," he replied noncommittally.

When she replied by merely arching a well-defined eyebrow, he continued. " You see, when you spoke your bit about me having no power over you, your will being as strong as mine, yadda, yadda, you shifted the balance of power in the Labyrinth."

"Now, as you may know from basic Physics principles, every action creates an equal and opposite reaction. So when you admitted your own formidable strength and power, you reduced mine. And for that, being a Fae in service to the Labyrinth, I must be tried for that crime."

She said nothing for several minutes, trying to process all that he'd just said. It was almost too good to be true, one part of her mind joyfully exclaimed. Thoughts of him being exiled to the mortal plane and at her mercy skittered through her mind, ruthlessly quashed down as the rational part of her mind took over.

"Well, I'm certainly sorry to hear that, Goblin King, but what, may I ask, has this to do with me?" "After all, it's been some time since that eventful night and I for one have gotten on with my life, as I assume you have," she parried.

" I know I have no right to ask for your help after the awful way I treated you, Sarah, but you are the only person I could trust," he begged, a desperate puppy-dog look in his mismatched eyes.

"Trust!" "What do you know about trust, eh, Goblin King!" " I trusted you to play fairly, to be bound by your own rules, but instead you tricked me and cheated the whole time!" she raged. "The only reason you gave me my brother back was BECAUSE I bested you – you had no choice!"

She saw it in his eyes then, the bitten-back retort that never made it past his lips, followed such a look of devastating despair that she crumbled instantly. "Jareth, I'm sorry," remorse in her tone, " It's just that you come in here with some wild story after totally neglecting me for years, asking me for help and to trust you - don't you see how that sounds?" realizing that as she spoke SHE was becoming the hysterical one.

At her heartfelt admission, his resolve was the next to break. " Oh my sweet Sarah, you're right, I've failed you again just like I failed you in the Labyrinth. I haven't been a good friend or even a passing acquaintance. But I DO really need your help, and besides, I'd like to make it all up to you, if you're willing to give me the chance."

They'd talked for a while then, about what she'd been doing in the intervening years – her years at college, the various jobs she'd had, her plans for the apartment. It finally came out that he really was being tried by the other Labyrinth Fae for losing his power and Kingdom to her. Apparently it had thrown the whole Labyrinth socio-political system into turmoil, since ruling titles usually passed through noble families, not outsiders, and certainly not a commoner.

The trial had already been set for three months hence at that point, and he needed her to be a 'character witness' of some sort – to say that it had all been unintentional and her only goal was to 'win' her brother back, not disturb the monarchy.

"But couldn't I just say a spell or wave a magick wand or something and give the Labyrinth back to you?" she'd asked, quite perturbed. "I mean, why all the fuss over just a simple misunderstanding?' "And furthermore, isn't this issue between you and me?" "Why does anyone else have to be involved?" her voice rising with every question until she was practically shouting in frustration.

He just watched her vent her frustration, marveling that she looked so damn sexy when she was mad. Finally he opened his arms to her then, pressing sweet chaste kisses to the top of her head, forehead, and nose until her anger passed, and said "My Lovely One, I knew you still cared for me – please say you'll help me!"

"Of course I will, Jareth. I mean, it's MY job to make your life a living Hell, no one else's!" their combined laughter ringing throughout her room.


End file.
